NAB game on Sat Night

[Old Royboy]

Some pics from Saturday night. (I'm still learning to drive it)
Flickr: iach53's Photostream

[stellation]

I found the overall night encouraging for footy (a fair chunk of orange in the crowd, granted it seems like there was a chunk of giveaways of orange). It was a strange emotion when we lost the game against GC (live it looked like Mr McVeigh made a boo boo, haven't watched a replay), I wasn't actually overly dissapointed- the game seemed pretty even overall and if anything the Swans probably had it a bit more clearly, but certainly didn't leave me feeling it was a loss. Interesting format, I hope they keep it for next year as well.

I thought Bird, JPK and Uncle Byron were the standouts for the Swans. It was nice to see Seabs cover a bit of ground, too. I was a little dissapointed by Currie the forward in one or two instances, I thought Jetta (whilst not standing out as much) looked like a seasoned player. Agree on the comments on poor Jude, he did look a step behind the pace.

[AnnieH]

(live it looked like Mr McVeigh made a boo boo, haven't watched a replay),

Yeah, it looked like a boo boo on TV as well. Difference was, we had the clock and could see there was 15 seconds of play left.
The ball was with the Capt'n and Bevo ... one of them had to stuff it.

[Primmy]

Note: Looks like Uncle Byron has a permanent nicname with us which has been arrived at naturally and with no queries about its veracity. Wonder if anyone has told him?

[Nich]

Note: Looks like Uncle Byron has a permanent nicname with us which has been arrived at naturally and with no queries about its veracity. Wonder if anyone has told him?

Ha! It's so natural for me now as well. Saturday night i was referring to him as Uncle Byron and my Wife and was like 'Who is Uncle Byron?'.

It is nothing but Uncle Byron for me now.

[giant]

Yeah, it looked like a boo boo on TV as well. Difference was, we had the clock and could see there was 15 seconds of play left.
The ball was with the Capt'n and Bevo ... one of them had to stuff it.

Other than a wobbly back line, this was the other area that provided me with concern about Sat's performance - not that we lost, but the manner in which we lost it, with a lot of blunders and turnovers.

Winning the tight games in a long AFL season absolutely can be the difference between a good year and a dud one. In the past, we knew that Kirk would drive the team so we were still competing till the end and rare were the games we weren't at least some silly chance of winning it with a few minutes to go. At the same time, the Leos and Bazzas and other senior blokes seemed to be better than most at milking the clock and taking the momentum away from teams when we needed to defend a lead to the dying seconds. As result, we've won a very good proportion of close games in recent years.

I just worry about whom in this team is going to be our "grace under pressure" providers and whom will be our "desperate samurai" when the close games start. Maybe it's a learning curve thing, no doubt all clubs have set plays these days for these types of scenarios.

[Go Swannies]

Other than a wobbly back line, this was the other area that provided me with concern about Sat's performance - not that we lost, but the manner in which we lost it, with a lot of blunders and turnovers.

Winning the tight games in a long AFL season absolutely can be the difference between a good year and a dud one. In the past, we knew that Kirk would drive the team so we were still competing till the end and rare were the games we weren't at least some silly chance of winning it with a few minutes to go. At the same time, the Leos and Bazzas and other senior blokes seemed to be better than most at milking the clock and taking the momentum away from teams when we needed to defend a lead to the dying seconds. As result, we've won a very good proportion of close games in recent years.

I just worry about whom in this team is going to be our "grace under pressure" providers and whom will be our "desperate samurai" when the close games start. Maybe it's a learning curve thing, no doubt all clubs have set plays these days for these types of scenarios.

ORB and I left the ground laughing about how it's now two coaches that ensure McV has instructions to throw the NAB Cup game. Don't kick a goal/drop the ball. That ball drop is very strange but it ensured we play in Melbourne, not Perth this weekend. I might be giving the team the benefit of the doubt but they knew what the result would be if they lost and they found a way to run out the game and still lose.

It would have been a lot more obvious if they had to lose both games that night.

[Auntie.Gerald]

ORB and I left the ground laughing about how it's now two coaches that ensure McV has instructions to throw the NAB Cup game. Don't kick a goal/drop the ball. That ball drop is very strange but it ensured we play in Melbourne, not Perth this weekend. I might be giving the team the benefit of the doubt but they knew what the result would be if they lost and they found a way to run out the game and still lose.

It would have been a lot more obvious if they had to lose both games that night.

Thats a big call...................play to loose ??

i was happy with the progress and the ability of Jed, Parker, Sam, Byron and co...................the competition for spots has never been so demanding !!

[AnnieH]

Note: Looks like Uncle Byron has a permanent nicname with us which has been arrived at naturally and with no queries about its veracity. Wonder if anyone has told him?

Primmy. Oh ye of little faith.

That's how I address him when I see him.

[stellation]

At one point when Bird was lining up for goal Malceski found himself free and was screaming for it to be passed off to him (better angle, much further out), Bird didn't and Malceski threw one of the best little tantrums I've seen in a while (Bird kicked the goal). A friend at the game (lifelong footy fan, non-Swans fan and now GWS fan) was most amused with Malceski's cranky seagull behaviour through both games. "Gimme a chip. Gimme a chip. Gimme a chip. GIMME A CHIP! GIMME A CHIP! WHY DID YOU EAT THE CHIP???!?!?!?!?!??! Oi you, gimme a chip. Gimme a chip....."

[stellation]

Note: Looks like Uncle Byron has a permanent nicname with us which has been arrived at naturally and with no queries about its veracity. Wonder if anyone has told him?

I prefer Percy.

[liz]

At one point when Bird was lining up for goal Malceski found himself free and was screaming for it to be passed off to him (better angle, much further out), Bird didn't and Malceski threw one of the best little tantrums I've seen in a while (Bird kicked the goal). A friend at the game (lifelong footy fan, non-Swans fan and now GWS fan) was most amused with Malceski's cranky seagull behaviour through both games. "Gimme a chip. Gimme a chip. Gimme a chip. GIMME A CHIP! GIMME A CHIP! WHY DID YOU EAT THE CHIP???!?!?!?!?!??! Oi you, gimme a chip. Gimme a chip....."

In a similar vein, when TDL crumbed the ball and was aiming to kick on goal quickly (a shot he duly converted), he was in danger of being distracted by McVeigh running past, flapping his arms and demanding a handpass. The cameras didn't show whether McVeigh had a bit of a hissy fit afterwards, but Roos (in commentary) chuckled and said something along the lines of "oh yes, Macca would have been screaming for the handpass".

Given TDL was straight in front, not far out and is an excellent shot at goal, how much nicer it would have been to see McVeigh's immediate reaction to be to look around and see if he needed to shepherd an opponent to make sure TDL had the maximum time possible to balance and shoot.

[Jesse Richards]

The only comment I would like to make about our loss to GC is this:

Usually when we lose, we i.e. Swans players, leave the field with heads down and no smiles. After the loss to GC our players left the field with heads up and some smiles.

[aardvark]

If Joey didn't handball to him 50 times Macca would hardly have had a touch all night....except the one he stuffed up.

[707]

My money goes to the Swans and Swans only, it's not my job or my concern to support the new franchise that will be trying to eat into our potential supporter base. If I have any extra spending money each year it'll go to a worthy charity, not a football club I have no interest in.

Extra spending money? Try the Swans Academy as THE most worthy charity around. I reckon in ten years time Eddie McGuire will be bleating about the unfair advantage we have!